Article - - Smart Gardening

Growing Tulips

Growing Tulips

The tulip is almost synonymous with the Dutch. When people picture a tulip, they see the little blonde haired girl wearing wooden clogs and twirling her braid as she innocent tips her head, swirling her light blue dress. But the tulip is no longer isolated to Holland, it has circled around the globe. Their ease to care for and to plant makes them an excellent choice for gardeners. If you are planning on growing tulips here is some basic information for you.

As with any plant, be sure to check with local growers to see if, and what kind of, tulips grow in your climate. Not every plant is suited for every region of the world. In fact, even if you were to fly straight to Holland to bring back tulips to plant, you would only be allowed to bring certain types through customs. The Dutch are aware of this and very obviously mark which tulips are suitable for international growth. It is important to obey customs regulations on flora and fauna. Just because a plant looks pretty does not that mean it will grow well in your climate. It also may have bacteria or insects that may threaten a new ecosystem if you try to take the plant from where it belongs.

Tulips come in a wide variety colors. Single tulips can be orange, pick, red, white, and yellow. Double tulips combine these colors and come in orange yellow, pink rose, and red yellow. Late tulips grow tall and contain duller colors. There is a great deal of others as well. Again, check with local growers to see what will grow best in your garden.

One you have decided on your species of tulip, you are ready to plant. For those who have never planted bulbs before, tulips are bulbs and are planted in the fall - usually in the month of November. This seems backwards to most people. However tulips are planted deep in the soil - usually eight inches down - to help them survive the winter. In the spring you will be greeted with beautiful tulip flowers. Once these flowers die off, remove the bulb from the ground and store it for the summer. It is quite important to wait for the flower to die. In doing so, the sap actually returns to the bulb and is kept as nutrients for the next year.

Tulips tend to be very resistant against disease and weather with the exception of a disease called Boyrytis. There's no cure for this disease except to burn the plant.

Beyond that, there is no reason why any gardener cannot be greeted by beautiful tulips every spring. They are resistant, hearty plants and quite easy to care for. They also come in a wide range of colors and appearances and can instantly brighten up a garden. Be sure to use the wide range of colors and hues. Doing so can provide a strong artistic quality to your landscape.